As One Platform Burns It Down Others Should Get Ready For More Writers

It’s a fire sale and everyone must go. One California company evacuated its writers, the paying members who use the Medium.com platform. As the sounds of fire engines and aircraft hum in the backdrop of the California landscape, the ashes of dreams filling the streets, what’s happened with Medium is a hot topic.

Just like management in California, who completely failed to protect their citizens, Medium has made a choice. And as much as choosing to cut water to hydrants in a frequently fire-ridden state made no sense, Medium chose a course of action that will cost them in the long run while we feel the pain today. We’re all feeling the burn!

Like many, I wrote Medium support to get answers. I wanted to hear it directly from them, considering they’ve been fairly mum during a week of what I expect has been chaos. As you might have guessed, they’re remaining mum. Hopefully, answers are forthcoming. But as much as I don’t think holding our breath to see them return to form, I don’t think I’ll hold my breath as I await a straight answer.

As I write this, Susie Kearley 🐹 Guinea pig slave shared a post with an answer from Tony Stubblebine that blows me away. Check out her piece here. I don’t know who’s reading this that’s ever run a business, but making one penny for every dollar spent isn’t a solid plan. I think the Medium CEO is smart enough to know that.

It’s like the building caught on fire and we suddenly take the hit. Maybe their office got caught in the sad fires in California. Maybe not. Sadly, what we are left with, is the reality that even if we post something here on Medium and it were to get good numbers, we aren’t going to get anything back for our paid memberships besides the privilege of publishing on a platform that’s about to lose tons of paying members.

A few years have gone by since Medium’s management changed hands. When it did, I believed I saw what they wanted to make Medium into. I didn’t like the idea then and hoped it was wrong. However, I read a piece written yesterday and it supported my earlier beliefs that the long-term future on Medium didn’t exist and there was an expiration date.

However, a few hours later, Medium’s VP, Scott Lamb, who liked my story, left a comment on it and posted an article stating that they had suspended many accounts and that the reason writers were experiencing such low income was due to an algorithm tweak.

Dr Mehmet Yildiz

For those who are downgrading or jumping ship, you aren’t alone. Many have already announced they are jumping ship and others are likely to follow. Medium has been continuing to downgrade the algorithm for a lengthy period. This was done for an unclear reason and they are unlikely to have been transparent with what’s going on. Maybe that time will come. However, ask yourself these questions:

• Do you remember when they announced they were profitable? It wasn’t that long ago.
• Do you remember the platform onboarding other countries?
• With all of the paid members, where’s the money going if it’s a financially strapped group? They’ve been tweaking the algorithm for some time now, and,
• When you search for Medium.com revenues you get a picture that doesn’t show a broke or financially strapped blogging platform.

Sadly, the once friendly, well-liked, and fun blogging platform has hit a crash and burn point. It’s been a great ride, but when the train catches on fire riders get off.

So far, the answers floating around don’t make sense. For years people have been paying memberships and it appears that their loyalty and regular payments haven’t garnered them a transparent answer to what’s happening, or any insight as to the plans Medium has.

Fortunately, there are other options. Vocal, Substack, Newsbreak, and Notd.io, the latter of which, appears to have a solid premise for success.